ComplaintsforMonastery Icons

• Initial Complaint

  11/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company masquerades itself as an authentic Christian iconography producer. However, it is actually led, and I wish I was joking, a Hindu-Christian ************ ***t. I know that there is no material value over blessing icons in the world of modern economics, but knowing now that an icon a purchased was blessed (or rather, cursed) with pagan rituals makes me feel that I have been lied to. They claim to be nondenominational Christian, but they are not Christian.

  Business response

  11/20/2023

  None of the icons produced by our plaque service in Tennessee, or any other merchandise we offer, are blessed, prayed over, or subjected to rituals of any kind.
  
  If the customer is not entirely satisfied with any item, he can return it to us within 30 days of the day of purchase for an exchange or refund. If the item is returned in sellable condition, he will be refunded the charge on his order. He should keep a record of his return; he is responsible for the safe delivery of the item to our address below. He should also include in the return box the packing list from the original shipment.
  
  To ensure proper credit for your account, enclose a copy of the invoice in the box with the returned item. All items must be returned in sellable condition to the following address:
  
  ********* *****
  **** ******** ***
  **** ******** **** ***** ***** ********
  
  We have removed this customer’s name and address from our regular mailing list. It can take up to 90 days for the name and address to be deleted from our mailing list, since circulation lists are sent to our printer months before each mailing. We appreciate your understanding and patience. 

  Customer response

  11/20/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I will not seek a refund since the product needed to be disposed, not that it was worth much anyways, it was pretty cheaply made for what is referred to as a "sacred gift." They really cannot disprove whether some heretic prayed over it or not, so I will not pursue this much further.

  However, what I would like to know is a detailed history of the business and its connections to the Light of Christ Monastery, "***** ******" ****** *****, and Hinduism. Of course, the company wants to make this as hard as possible to know, but the Orthodox Christians blew the whistle by 2004 at the earliest. Their website in 1999 (************************************************************************/) includes an address that is explicitly owned by a Hindu organization, not to mention the company acknowledges some of its Hindu roots in the "About our Monastery" section. The current website mentions a "Sacred Arts Foundation," which has Burke as its chief officer. It does not take much research to find how Burke is not a Christian, but rather takes Christian ideas and molds them to fit his Hindu beliefs. He had created and ran many other organizations that describe his non-Christian beliefs; this one just happens to be the latest attempt to hide his true beliefs. It is labeled as a "not-for-profit" religious organization, which means the company has some sort of funding for non-Christian teachings. I understand that the company would want to hide this connection as much as possible because if they were more honest, they would lose many Christian customers.

  All I want as an honest answer from the company about their connections to Burke and his heresy and a detailed history on their website with explicit detail of its connections to Hinduism.

  Regards,
  
  **** ********
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  An order was placed in November 2022 from Monastery icons. We paid $2,895.65 for 10 Candlesticks and a Crucifix. The order never arrived and after a number of emails sent to them (from November to February), they finally answered that they don't ship to ******. We needed the order urgently for a project within a particular time frame. Obviously it will not be shipped in time because of the long delay. We opted on buying the product from a more reliable vendor. In the meantime, we have been asking for a complete refund, and all we get is a message: "We have forwarded your order information requesting a call back to the correct department for assistance. Please allow 24-48 hours and someone will be in contact with you." Their phone number is out of service, which forces us to wait upon emails and replies, saying constantly the same thing. It's frustrating. We need our money back in FULL please.

  Customer response

  03/14/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ** ********* and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 

   

  
  Dear ***** and BBB,
  
   
  
  I wish to thank you profusely! The vendor (Monastery Icons) finally got back to me this afternoon and I see a pending transaction on my online statement: a credit.
  
  This has taken so months. But when BBB intervened, I got the refund in a week!
   
  Again, thank  you for your good work. We are very grateful!
  
  God bless!
  
  ****** ******
  
   
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** ******
  

  Customer response

  03/15/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. The customer provided additional comments:

  I wish to thank you profusely! The vendor (Monastery Icons) finally got back to me this afternoon and I see a pending transaction on my online statement: a credit.

  This has taken so months. But when BBB intervened, I got the refund in a week!

  There is a blog on the internet titled “Beware of Monastery Icons”. It’s worthwhile reading as it speaks volumes. There are so many issues with them. First of all the toll free number they put in their website and emails is out of service anytime you call. Yet they claim they are available every day from 7:00 a.m. to 2 a.m., which is rather odd.

  The brand names for their products are false. E.g. instead of “San Pietro” Sudbury brass candlesticks, they advertise them as Sarum Candlesticks. This does not allow the shopper to compare pricing with other online vendors.

  This was our first time dealing with them, and it will certainly be our last. I just wanted to let you know this.

  Again, thank  you for your good work. We are very grateful!
  
  God bless!

  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I placed three orders with Monastery Icons dating back to September, October, and November of 2022. No one from MI notified me that any of my three orders, totalling $526 were unable to be completely fulfilled. I have called Monastery Icons and have had email correspondence with a representative, but so far only one refund of $47.90 was issued on Feb. 7, 2023 from an order that was placed on Nov. 30, 2022. I am still awaiting refunds from an order placed on September 16, 2022 and another order placed on October 11, 2022. I was emailed the following information on Feb. 7, 2023, but so far, no one has contacted me: "Please allow 1-3 business days and someone from our support team will be in contact with you either by phone or email." I have totally lost my confidence and patience with this company. Very poor customer support. I want my money refunded as soon as possible.

  Business response

  02/28/2023

  Our records show we made attempts by phone and email to contact her further. On 2/26 she was refunded $267.50 and today she was refunded $201.50.

   

  We apologize for this delay in her refund, since our records show we had contacted her. We did have some problems with clearing and crediting back orders and orders for items no longer available in November and December '22, and have since fixed this process in our system.

  Customer response

  03/02/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.   It took me 5 months to get a refund, but it took the BBB less than 5 days to have my money refunded!  I am profoundly impressed and grateful for your service.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ****
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩